band
B1Neutral (used across formal and informal contexts)
Definition
Meaning
A group of people, animals, or things united or connected for a common purpose; also a flat, thin strip or loop used for fastening or strengthening.
In music, a group of musicians playing together. In technology, a range of frequencies. In geography, a strip or stripe of a different color or texture. Figuratively, a range or category.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The noun has a very broad range of related meanings stemming from the core idea of 'something that binds together' (group) and 'a flat strip' (object). Context is crucial for disambiguation. The verb is less frequent and primarily means 'to form a group' or 'to mark with a stripe/band'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. 'Band' for a musical group is universal. 'Rubber band' is more common in AmE; 'elastic band' is the standard term in BrE. In institutional names, BrE might use 'band' for some military units (e.g., marching band) where AmE might use 'corps'.
Connotations
In both, 'band' for musicians often implies rock, pop, or jazz; 'orchestra' is more classical. 'Band of brothers' has a strong, positive connotation of close-knit loyalty.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties for its core meanings.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[N] band together (to do sth)[V] band sth (with sth)[Adj-N] a five-piece band[N-N] brass bandVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “band of brothers”
- “to beat the band (AmE: very much)”
- “when the band begins to play”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"The company operates in the premium price band." (category/range)
Academic
"The data falls within the confidence band of the model." (statistical range)
Everyday
"Could you pass me an elastic band?" "My son plays in a school band."
Technical
"The transmitter operates on the 2.4 GHz frequency band."
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The protesters decided to band together for greater impact.
- The book was banded with a promotional sticker.
American English
- Small businesses often band together to negotiate better rates.
- The birds are banded for tracking their migration.
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial form. Not applicable.)
American English
- (No standard adverbial form. Not applicable.)
adjective
British English
- He's a band member. (compound adjective)
- Band practice is on Tuesdays.
American English
- She's the band leader.
- Band equipment is expensive.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I like that song. The band is good.
- She wears a red band in her hair.
- The birds flew together in a large band.
- The local band will play at the festival on Saturday.
- Please secure the papers with a rubber band.
- Tax rates differ depending on your income band.
- Citizens banded together to clean up the park after the storm.
- The spectrometer analyses light across the visible band.
- His latest novel doesn't fit into any conventional genre band.
- The researcher banded the juvenile eagles to monitor their dispersal patterns.
- Their political views occupy a broad band, from moderate liberalism to democratic socialism.
- The treaty created a demilitarized band ten kilometres wide along the border.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a **band** of musicians all wearing a head**band**. The group (band) is held together by the shared strip of cloth (band).
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL COHESION IS A PHYSICAL BINDING ("band together"). CATEGORIES ARE CONTAINERS/WIDTHS ("tax band", "wide band of opinion").
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводить музыкальную "band" как "банда" (это "gang").
- "Rubber band" — это ластик для карандаша? Нет, это канцелярская резинка (elastic band).
- "Band" как глагол (to band together) часто требует перевода как "объединяться", "сплотиться".
Common Mistakes
- Using 'band' as a synonym for any group (e.g., 'a band of scientists' sounds odd; 'team' or 'group' is better).
- Confusing 'band' (musicians) with 'band' (strip) in listening without context.
- Misspelling as 'bend'.
Practice
Quiz
In the context of technology, 'band' most commonly refers to:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A 'band' typically refers to a group playing popular music (rock, jazz, brass) with a simpler structure, often without string sections. An 'orchestra' is a large ensemble for classical music, including strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion.
Yes, it means 'to form a group for a common purpose' (e.g., 'They banded together in protest') or 'to mark with a stripe/band' (e.g., 'The bird was banded for research').
Yes, in all its noun meanings. You can have a band, three bands, etc.
It's a compound noun from 'broad' + 'band', referring to a high-capacity internet connection that uses a wide band of frequencies to transmit data quickly.